Aarya frowns. “No. He absolutely did not tell me that. Duplicitous twit. He told me about the Ferryman and nothing more.”

I stiffen. “Wait. What did he tell you about the Ferryman?”

“That there’s an enormous bounty on your dad’s head but that most of the trackers are calling it a wash of a job since the Ferryman has taken an interest in it,” Aarya says.

When I don’t immediately react, Aarya rolls her eyes like she’s talking to a five-year-old. “The Ferryman is a legend. He’s a god among the crews. He’s the one who dismantled the assassination attempt on the British royal family two years ago. And he stopped the attack at the UN a few years before that.”

I hear her, but it’s hard for me to process. How can someone who did those great things also be hunting my dad? And if the trackers don’t want to compete with him, what chance do we stand of finding him before the Ferryman does?

“But back to this Regent business,” Aarya says. “First, good on your dad. That guy was a menace.”

“He didn’t do it,” I say, even though I’m not sure it matters to Aarya. It does, however, matter to me. “He was in America. I’m sure of it.”

Aarya looks momentarily perplexed. “Are you certain? Strategia don’t often get accused of things they didn’t do,” she says, repeating what Ash told me earlier.

“One hundred percent positive,” I say, though inside I’m still trying to convince myself that my math is right.

She gives Ash a questioning look, like maybe I’ve gotten it wrong, but when he doesn’t respond, she continues. “Second, if the Regent’s dead and has been for a month, then it makes perfect sense that Jag would appoint someone new. And that kind of appointment would be a massive political affair. A masquerade ball is exactly the type of showy arrogance Jag is known for.”

“Indeed,” Ash says. “And the costumed aspect will allow him to bring in Families who are allied to the Lions without them risking too much exposure. There will be food and entertainment and accommodations for those who are traveling.”

“So he’ll need a big venue,” I say.

“And a lot of rooms,” Aarya says, and she, Ash, and Ines share a look.

My heart thuds. “You know, don’t you? You know where the ball is going to be held.” My tone is optimistic.

“There is a landmark Strategia hotel in central London,” Ash says. “It’s the fanciest and largest of the Strategia properties in the UK. However, it’s also popular with tourists and thus is seldom used for actual Strategia business. But for appointing a new Regent in plain sight…it’s the logical choice.”

I sit back against the pillows on the couch, relieved we’re moving forward.